Potholes are putting pedestrians at risk as well as motorists, according to an AA survey.

The problem is persisting on paths and pavements, with those walking the streets likely to encounter almost four potholes every mile.

Overall, the pothole situation has eased slightly but local roads are still being blighted by an average of 6.25 potholes per mile, the survey showed.

The figures were based on 800 hours of surveying of road and pavement/path conditions by AA members in their own neighbourhoods in October this year.

Scotland was found to have the worst conditions, with an average of 8.9 potholes per mile on the roads and 2.81 on pavements/paths.

The next-worst area, according to the survey, was Yorkshire/Humberside with 8.5 potholes per mile on roads and 3.9 on pavements/paths.

London had the fewest potholes on the roads - averaging 4.9 per mile, but its pavement/path figure was 2.4 per mile.

The best pavement-path total was in south-west England, where the AA members found only one pothole per mile during their survey.

The survey, which involved a 60-minute walk covering around two miles, also found:

:: Two in three of the road repair inspection covers and nearly half of the road repairs were felt to prove a hazard to cyclists;

:: London had the most uneven footpaths, almost twice the national average;

:: AA members found an average of one road sign and 3.6 road markings they felt needed repair or replacement, with Scotland the worst for this;

:: 27 reports of litter were found by each of those monitoring the roads.

AA president Edmund King said: "Only recently, the Local Government Association warned that potholes may again become a serious problem this winter with local authority budget cuts biting and no likelihood of extra government cash.

"Our survey has found that, although patching up the roads after last winter's ravages has brought some improvement, their condition is on a knife-edge and drivers are still likely to have to dodge potholes."

He said that although the AA members noted some improvement this year, there were "continuing problems".